Hello Honey Bee friends! I love using new products with some of my most favorite older products! That’s what I’ve done today with this birthday card featuring the beautiful new Lovely Layers: Hummingbird and Sandie’s Garden 3D embossing folder along with the previously released Lovely Layers: Hydrangea!

The A2 card base has Distress watercolor paper embossed with the gorgeous Sandie’s Garden 3D embossing folder. I used this watercolor paper since that’s what I used on all of the other elements of the card and is a nice bright white.

Next I die cut all of the layers of the Lovely Layers: Hummingbird from more Distress watercolor cardstock. I watercolored all of the layers with a combination of four Distress Ink re-inkers, some water, and a few drops of Bee Shimmery Liquid Shimmer Watercolor. I used Peacock Feathers, Abandoned Coral, Mowed Lawn, and Twisted Citron. TIP: Have fun combining the Peacock Feathers with a bit of the green inks to create your own unique color! That’s how I got the blue green shade of the wings and tail. The die cut eye and beak are watercolored with Black Soot Distress Re-inker. I used White Gold and Light Gold Starry Colors metallic watercolors for the whites of the bird.

There’s a handy layering guide in the Hummingbird product description if you need a bit of help with the assembly. After the layers were completely dry, I used Bee Creative glue to adhere all of them together.

I die cut the layers of the Lovely Layers: Hydrangea from Distress Watercolor cardstock. After I mixed drops of Abandoned Coral re-inker for the flower with Bee Shimmery drops, I diluted it some with water and colored the layers with my paint brush. The leaves are the same, but with Mowed Lawn and Twisted Citron re-inkers. I added more layers of color to the pieces, drying between each layer, until I was happy with the look.

This next tip is a “do as I say, not as I did” tip. Haha! I glued all of the Hydrangea layers together and then glued the flower to the card. Let me just say, the thickness of this gorgeous flower was a bit of a struggle when I went to trim the extra off at the side of the card! So my tip to you (and me!) is to not glue the layers, but use a ruler and pencil to mark on each layer where to cut them separately–then glue together!

I tucked the Hydrangea leaves under the flower with glue. I added two foam dots to the Hummingbird to pop it up on the card.

The sentiment, from the Across The Miles stamp set, is stamped in black ink on Distress Watercolor cardstock. TIP: I turned the cardstock over and stamped on the smoother side! (I’m full of tips today–Haha!) I cut it out with the coordinating Honey Cut and popped it up on the card with foam strips.

Since I seem to have misplaced (lost?) the die for the Hydrangea centers, I used some pretty matching pearls from the Celebration Pearl Stickers. (I sure hope I find it!!!)

I really enjoyed playing with watercolors to create my card! I always so appreciate you stopping by and hope you have been inspired today. Have a wonderful and crafty week!